Hold On To Me
by jimalim320
Summary: Maura, overcome with sickness, needs Jane's help to get better.  Frist fic, could really use some comments/reviews. I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

It had been days since she'd last gone to work, she also had called in asking off another week. Dr. Maura Isles, the medical examiner at the Boston Police Department, had contracted an illness she could only link to work. She hadn't done anything outside the morgue for a couple weeks, which is why she was taken off guard when she first felt ill a few days ago.

Whatever it was that had Maura feeling so sick was a mystery even to her doctor, who performed many tests trying to find the correct diagnosis. All Maura knew was whatever it happened to be, it was the worst sickness she'd ever experienced. She was physically drained, so much so that it even hurt to think. She had major migraines, a weak stomach, and she was always cold.

Dr. Isles was never prone to catching communicable diseases like the cold or flu, which is probably why she was in so much pain. That because her immune system rarely had to fight off sickness, it just wasn't strong enough to battle her current paralyzing pathogens.

She spent most of her days in bed, falling in and out of sleep, only getting up for the occasional trip to the restroom. Just as she rolled over to find a more comfortable position to lay in, her attention was directed to the bedroom door, from which Detective Jane Rizzoli, her best friend, appeared. When Maura tried to get up to great her friend, the detective took a seat next to her on the bed while gently guiding her to lie back down. She made a "shhhhing" noise as she stroked the hair out of Maura's face.

"I called the doctor earlier." Jane revealed as she began to lightly brush her hand up and down Maura's arm, "He still isn't 100% sure what you have. Although he believes it's a certain case of the flu, I can't remember …some gibberish sounding name. He said it's nothing serious as long as you are careful to take care of yourself while you're experiencing pain."

She stopped stroking her friend's arm, only to let it rest upon her forehead to check for a fever. To her surprise she wasn't warm at all, she was quite the opposite, cold as ice.

"Holy crap Maur, you're freezing!" As if the doctor didn't already know.

Maura pushed her head into Jane's hand, as if she were trying to soak up her warmth. And as Jane moved her hand away, Maura grabbed it begging her to leave it.

"Jane." The woman spoke barely louder than a whisper. "You're so warm. Please…don't go."

Jane wasn't planning on leaving in the first place; in fact she secretly brought a bag of clothes and a few other items she may need, intending on not leaving Maura until she was well enough to go back to work.

Unsure as to how long it would take Maura to recover, Jane had simply called off work indefinitely for the time being. It's not like she had really enjoyed the past few days of work, without her best friend there to banter with, eat lunch with, and to go visit just because she wanted to see her, work wasn't much fun. One day she even thought of what her job was like before Maura became the ME at the Boston PD, before she even knew who Maura was.

Jane had no idea how she was able to come to work day after day working on depressing case after depressing case. Without Maura there to make her smile, she really disliked her job. She didn't hate it, obviously there was something that drew her into homicide. Although the longer Maura was gone, the harder it was for Jane to remember what interested her in the first place.

Still in her work clothes, "I'm going to go change into something more comfortable. Is there anything you need while I'm up?" She was willing to do anything to help out her friend, especially to help her get better.

"Could you check on Bass for me? I'm afraid I haven't been able to go downstairs very easily, and I'm sure he could use some food." The whole time her eyes closed, still sensitive to light, no matter how dim they happened to be.

With a silent nod, the detective quietly left the room. Returning a few minutes later dressed in a Boston PD shirt and her favorite pair of sweatpants, Jane made her way to the bedside table placing a glass of water and some pain medicine in case Maura needed them later. She then took her previous seat on the edge of the bed near Maura.

Maura had fallen asleep while she had gone, but she stirred as Jane sat. "I'm so cold Jane…" Maura and muttered her eyes still closed.

Even though she was in extreme pain, she managed to reach up and pull Jane down so she was lying next to her. Finally she grabbed Jane's arm and draped it around her own waist, she knew that Jane's body heat would be ten times warmer than any blanket she owned. What she hadn't expected was how warm Jane was, maybe it was because she was so cold, but Jane was way warmer than any man she had ever cuddled with.

Jane was surprised, but strangely happy when she was forcibly made to spoon her friend. She loved the way Maura would unexpectedly take charge of a situation, especially ones that involved physical contact between them.

Jane moved her body as close to Maura's as she could, she wanted to make sure as much of her body that was possible was caressing her friends, to help keep her warm. Curiously intertwined with each other, they laid there in silence until Maura broke out. "Thank you Jane." Her voice low and loving to fully express how grateful she was.

With a tone just as soft and loving, Jane replied, "Anything for you Maur, anything for you." She rested her head in the crick of Maura's neck, the ME's golden locks providing her a soft cushion.


	2. Chapter 2

**I know this second chapter is really short, but I needed a good place to stop. I have more already written, planning to post as soon as I finnish typing it. Thanks for the reviews, kepp them coming!**

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It was clear to Maura that Jane was just as tired as she was, exhausted from a long day at work. The doctor had been studying the breathing and heart rate of her cuddle partner. In a way it was comforting to her, it made her feel safe knowing Jane was right there holding her as close as two people could be. She was happy, completely and truly happy. She had forgotten all the pain she had been in only an hour ago, she forgot about the stress of missing work for the 4th day in a row, but what made Maura happy the most, was how right there in Jane's arms, she forgot her fears. Her fear of missing more work, her fear that she could have been terminally ill, and her fear of people, live ones that is.

Jane always was the only person Maura let in and shared her feelings with. She felt like she didn't have to worry about anything when she was with Jane. Like nothing even mattered as long as she could see that smile. The ME loved Jane's smile. She often thought about it when she was feeling blue. It brought a smile to her own face, and in that moment she almost always instantly felt better.

She rolled over now to face Jane, and little to her surprise, her friend had fallen asleep. Feeling well enough to get out of bed, even though that was the last thing she _wanted _to do, Maura made her way slowly off the bed, careful to not wake Jane in the process. She made her way down the stairs, slow at first, then quickening her pace as she for the most part her pain was gone.

She made her way to the kitchen where she began to make a fresh garden salad topped with lightly seasoned grilled chicken. She loved to cook, there was something about the way the different ingredients and flavors worked together to create one deliciously cohesive dish.

It reminded her of her love for chemistry, the way food reacted almost like the way two elements combined to create a specific compound. She liked to experiment, both in the lab and in the kitchen. It was a way to escape the perils of day-to-day life, if only for a moment. The comfort it provided her was greater than the usual release methods people were accustomed to, all but one that is.


	3. Chapter 3

**Now I am out of material, all chapters had already been written so it may be longer before the next chapter get posted since I have to figure where to go with it first. I appreciate all the reviews, comment with ideas, I'm always open for suggestions. Thanks :)**

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Jane gently stirred in her sleep, only to be awoken by Maura's absence. She reached her arm across the bed in search of her sick friend. Discovering the spot where Maura once laid had grown cold, Jane sat up awake now, her mind full of various different emotions. At first she was scared Maura was gone, not knowing where she went. Her fear then subsided into sadness; she quite enjoyed holding her friend, even though she would never admit it.

Her brain continued to send her mixed signals, until Jane's senses took in the lovely aroma making its way up the stairs and into the room. She realized where Maura had gone. Slowly stretching as she made her way off the bed, Jane started down the stairs. The detective found Maura in the kitchen fully focused on cutting the chicken she had prepared not long ago.

"Dammit Maura," she had a slightly irritated tone to her voice; "if you were hungry you should have woken me up. I would have made you something. You didn't have to get out of bed." As Jane spoke her tone grew softer, almost on the edge of sadness, like she was begging Maura to let her take care of her.

"I food isn't for me," she kept her head down, focusing on the chicken to avoid slipping up and nipping her hand, "and even if it was I don't know if I could keep it down." Placing the freshly cooked and cut pieces onto the salad she looked up and smiled brightly sliding the finished salad across the counter, "I made it for you." The smile on her face turned into a sly smirk. "I figured you didn't have time to eat before coming over here, and I thought you would be hungry once you woke up."

Jane couldn't help but smile, Maura was always a thoughtful one, and somehow she always knew what Jane wanted. She constantly her, and she loved that about her. She loved a lot of things about her best friend. Jane didn't have many "girlfriends" growing up; she was always with the boys or her brothers. She was quite awkward around members of the same gender as her; they usually made snide remarks either calling her a "butchy dyke" or "tomboy slut" because she spent so much time with the guys. As a matter of fact, the medical examiner was Jane's first female friend.

Before she met Maura, Jane was quiet, usually keeping to herself, never talking about anything personal to anyone, not even her family. After befriending the doctor, something in Jane changed. She felt she was able to be vulnerable with Maura, she could trust her with all her darkest secrets, her troubling past. And even her encounter with Hoyt, a serial killer who had pinned Jane's hands to the floor during a struggle the night she tried to arrest him. Her hands were forever scarred from that night, and she never let anyone touch them since. Nobody except Maura, she was the exception. The longer the detective and the medical examiner remained friends, the more and more Maura became the exception to Jane's rules. She began to wonder what that meant…


	4. Chapter 4

**I know this chapter is also short, but I wanted to get an update in today. Love the reviews, keep them coming please and thank you. **

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Maura couldn't help but stare at Jane while she ate the food she'd spent the past couple hours slaving over, sure to make every last detail perfect. She wanted anything and everything that had to do with Jane to be perfect, even if it often went unnoticed.

"Maura, this is fabulous. Don't tell Ma, but I'd pick this over her gnocchi any day." Jane kept on eating like she hadn't for days, unaware of how otherwise unflattering it made her look.

The doctor's face was overcome with crimson as she soaked in how much that comment really meant. A dumb smile came across her lips, and she chucked sweetly as she made her way closer to Jane. She reached across to wipe some salad dressing off the corner of her friend's mouth.

Jane took note of the look in Maura's eyes as she used stroked her thumb across her cheek, not quite sure what emotion was behind it. Her friend's thumb lingered a moment before finally retreating.

The medical examiner began to clean up the counter while Jane finished eating. Slowly turning towards the sink in effort to wash the dishes, Maura felt Jane's hand wrap lightly around her wrist gently pulling her around. She gave Jane a slight smile, but was confused as to what Jane was up to.

"Why don't you go take a hot shower, bath, or something, you know to relax your muscles? I'll take care of the dishes." Jane gave her a warm smile making her way to the sink, picking up a plate beginning to wash.

"Oh Jane, you don't have to do that." Maura leaned over trying to take the dish from Jane's hands, only grabbing air since Jane already moved it away.

"And I don't have to be here taking care of you either." Jane put the dish in the drying rack, turning to face Maura giving her full attention. "But I am, because I _want _to. And.." She raised a finger to the doctor. "Again not a word to my Ma, but I actually enjoy doing the dishes. If she ever found out I'd be doing dishes ever Rizzoli Family Night for the rest of my life, I like it, but not _that_ much." Jane continued to clean the contents of the sink.

Maura chuckled at Jane's revelation. She was always learning something new about her best friend, finding it quite refreshing. "You never cease to surprise me Jane Rizzoli."

With a smirk and a shrug of her shoulders, "It's what I do." Now waving a hand toward the stairs, "Now go on, relax. I'll finish up here and clean up a bit. Check on you later, ok?"

With a nod and a smile, Maura turned to the stairs….

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**Next chapter _should_ be posted tomorrow, just keep in mind Maura hasn't gone up stairs yet ;) Reviews help very much!**


	5. Chapter 5

Maura had made her way to the stairs grabbing the handrail for support. She was still light headed and dizzy. While coming down the stairs was for the most part fairly easy, climbing up them would be a bit more challenging. She paused at the bottom of the steps, waiting to steady herself before making her way up, this caught Jane's attention. She watched her friend wondering why she hadn't moved.

Maura made it up the first few steps with little trouble, and just as Jane started to resume cleaning around the kitchen, her friend called out her name. The doctor had evidently lost her balance when trying to reach the next step, and began falling backward. Maura didn't have enough time to catch herself, continuing to fall.

Running so quick she didn't even realize she was moving; Jane made it to the stairs just in time to catch her falling friend. With Maura still in her arms she shifted her position, placing one arm under Maura's legs, placing the other just under her shoulder blades. She slowly picked up the medical examiner, and started carrying her up the stairs.

"You alright Maur?"

The doctor was scared paralyzed, replaying the following events over in her head. Losing her balance, falling backward, Jane catching her, and now carrying her up the stairs. Maura just marveled at how strong the detective was, and her ability to quickly react and adapt to her surroundings. Finally snapping out of trance she looked at Jane with a look of thankful confusion.

"Jane, you…how?" The otherwise grammatically fluent ME was unable to put together a coherent sentence.

Jane only smiled as she rounded the corner, directing them toward Maura's room. After awkwardly opening the door with her friend still in her arms, Jane carefully placed the doctor on the bed, and took a seat next to her.

Placing her hand on Maura's knee. "Why don't you skip the shower? Lay down instead? I wouldn't want you to get hurt trying to do something you obviously not in any condition to do." Referring to the stair mishap.

Maura nodded her head making her way under the covers, lying down. Still shaken up about falling, she reached for Jane's hand.

"Could you…?" Maura nodded toward the empty spot next to her.

Jane knew what Maura meant and slid up next to her. This time they faced each other, Maura's hand on Jane's stomach, and Jane's hand on Maura's waist. At first they just stared at on another not saying a word. Words didn't matter; both women enjoyed each other's company enough not to care what they did, as long as they were together. As the saying goes, "The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had." And that's exactly how they felt.

Each look, every smile, all the laughs, no matter how long or short a time they spent together, they always felt it was the best time they've ever had. They both longed for their next encounter at work, their next movie night, their next lunch date, anytime they would be in the other's company. They felt safe around each other, comfortable for the first time in either of their lives. Without each other they were lost.

Maura closed her eyes for a brief moment to gather her thoughts before finally breaking the silence. "Thank you Jane….I'm starting to feel better, so you don't have to worry about me…"

Jane slowly pushed some hair out of the doctor's face before taking her hand in her own. "I could never not worry…only worry less."

Maura blushed and after a brief moment leaned in and placed a kiss upon her best friend's lips. Gentle and soft, as to not completely scare her off. Her lips lingered longer than a "friendly kiss" should have. As she went to pull away, she was surprised at the increasing pressure between the two of them. The woman she was kissing was kissing her back.

The kiss wasn't anything overly passionate. Just a simple closed mouth, sweet kiss, not lasting too long, but it was just as special.

As they pulled a part and locked eyes, both women smiled warmly, pulling each other close, wrapped around one another, before silently drifting off to sleep…

End

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**I wanted this fic to end sweetly, without getting into too much detail. That way it's up to the reader what they want to think happened after. I really enjoyed writing this to share with all of you. It was my first fic and I'm quite happy with it. I thank you for taking the time to read it, review, and for those who added it to alert/favorites list. It really means a lot knowing that people enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think of the ending, let me know what you liked most, the more info I get the better for future fics I will write. Thanks again! :) :)**


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